Akure—Irate youths in Ifon, Ose Council Area of Ondo State, have reportedly set fire on a police station in the town over the alleged torture of a detainee to death.

This incident follows the arrest of a suspected phone thief, Temidayo Fadahunsi, in the Ijoka area of Akure, by operatives of the State Police Command. They recovered no fewer than 228 mobile phones from him.

A source in Ifon alleged that a young man who was arrested and detained in police custody was tortured to death. Following this alleged death, irate youths reportedly stormed the police station, chased away officers—including the Divisional Police Officer (DPO)—and set the station ablaze. They then marched through the town, protesting the alleged killing of their friend in police custody.

However, the State Police Command denied that the boy died in police custody, stating that he passed away in the hospital.

Meanwhile, Police Commissioner Wilfred Afolabi, who conducted an on-the-spot assessment of the situation, condemned the attack and arson on the Divisional Police Station. He ordered a full-scale investigation to determine the circumstances that led to the incident and to bring those responsible to justice.

According to the command’s spokesperson, Funmi Odunlami, “The incident began on February 15, 2025, when a dispute between two families on Ogbomo Street, Ifon, escalated into a public fight. Officers from the Ifon Division, led by an Inspector, responded promptly, moved to the scene, intervened, and made arrests, though some suspects fled.

“Later, one Tobi Bobade, a young man involved in the fight, was brought to the station by one Mr Losilosi. He appeared weak and was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital for medical attention. He was later pronounced dead while receiving treatment. His remains have been deposited at the Federal Medical Centre, Owo, for a post-mortem examination.

“While officers were at the station, an angry mob, led by the deceased’s father, launched a violent attack on the station. The administrative office, DPO’s office, the station store, and two exhibit vehicles were affected by the inferno caused by the mob. Fortunately, no lives were lost in the fire, as security personnel acted swiftly and called for reinforcement to secure the premises.”

During his visit, the Commissioner of Police met with the Chairman of the Local Government, community leaders, and other stakeholders. On behalf of the Inspector General of Police, he commiserated with the family of the deceased and condemned the attack on the station.

Phone Thief

Meantime, the phone thief, alongside other suspects arrested by the command, was paraded. Among them was 40-year-old ex-convict Ishaku Abdul, who had been involved in kidnapping and other crimes. The suspects were apprehended by the Police Special Anti-Kidnapping Squad (SAKS) based on a security tip-off.

While parading the suspects in Akure, the state capital, Police Commissioner Wilfred Afolabi, said the 25-year-old Fadahunsi was arrested for stealing handsets, saying “Through shared information, the police arrested one Temidayo Fadahunsi at Ijoka area of Akure”.

The following items were found in his possession: 228 Android phones, 156 different types of batteries and 23 foreign SIM cards, for which he could not provide a satisfactory account of their origin. The suspect is currently under investigation and will be charged in court once the investigation is complete.

On the ex-convict, the Commissioner said the suspect was recently released from prison but was suspected by neighbors of being involved in the recent surge of criminal activities in the area.

Afolabi added that the suspect was arrested at Aladura Camp, Oke-Oge, Osi, an area where recent kidnappings had occurred. He also stated that all the suspects had been on the police’s wanted list.

Providing further details about other suspected kidnappers, Afolabi said, “On February 13, 2025, through intelligence gathering and the use of technical support, one Aminu (male) was arrested at Akure Garage in Ikare Akoko. His arrest led to the apprehension of Abdullahi Abubakar (male, 25 years).

“In another operation, which took place between February 14th and 15th, other suspects were arrested by the tactical team, who had been on their trail: Yusuf Saidu (male, 22 years), Nafiu Ibrahim (male, 32 years), Mohammed Anas (male, 20 years), and Kabiru Mohammed (male, 24 years).

“Also, in Ipele, a woman was abducted by unknown gunmen in her house. The police and youths of the town mobilized and quickly followed the footpaths of the suspects. Their efforts yielded positive results, as they were able to rescue the woman. While searching for the assailants, they recovered an AK-49 rifle at the scene of the rescue.”

Afolabi also revealed that police detectives arrested 34-year-old Gbenga Olanrewaju, aka Fish, who was involved in the recent Owo cult clash, following coordinated intelligence. “Olanrewaju, who confessed to being a member of the Eiye Cult group, had been on the police’s wanted list due to his involvement in an attempted kidnapping at a filling station in Uso, among other criminal activities across the state,”